Recognize Burnout - Diagnosis

2023 Author: Wallace Forman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-08-25 11:04

Clarify burnout

To diagnose burnout, the doctor conducts an anamnesis, clarifies physical and psychological symptoms and rules out other possible causes for the symptoms. Various examinations may be necessary for this. Experts from the fields of psychotherapy or clinical psychology can also be involved.

However, a medical examination is essential to rule out or determine medical causes for the existing exhaustion and accompanying symptoms. For diagnosis and treatment, it is also important to take into account the private and professional environment.

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Diagnosis of symptoms

Total physical exhaustion, cynicism about work, and impaired professional self-esteem are some of the main symptoms of burnout syndrome. In the course of the development of burnout, however, many different, often unspecific symptoms such as pain, dizziness, tiredness and sleep disorders can appear. You can find more information about the development of burnout and the individual burnout phases under The path to burnout. The diagnosis of comorbidities, such as psychological problems, is also very important.

Burnout is diagnosed based on symptoms and is often related to work life. Burnout syndrome, however, is not considered an occupational disease. According to the international classification of diseases (ICD-10 code), burnout syndrome falls under the category of "Problems relating to difficulties in coping with life". If the patient is unable to work due to burnout, a (longer) sick leave may be necessary.

Depending on the individual needs of the patient, various therapeutic measures are taken - for example stress management or psychotherapy. For more information, see Burnout Treatment.

Exclude other diseases

The differential diagnosis is particularly important in burnout - that is, the doctor (possibly together with experts from the field of clinical psychology or psychotherapy) clarifies whether there are other mental, psychosomatic or physical illnesses or disorders. For example, it can be severe depression, chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), adjustment disorders, alcohol abuse or generalized anxiety disorders. Physical illnesses such as autoimmune diseases (e.g. Hashimoto's thyroiditis), cancer or deficiency syndromes (e.g. iron deficiency) are taken into account.